Gate



June 24, 1930. G. H. THOMAS 1,766,564

GATE Y Filed March 13, 1929 INVENTOR W ATTORNEY Patented June 24, 1930 UNE'TEO STATES FFICE GATE Application filed March 13, 1929.

This invention relates to gates and has as one of its objects to provide a gate adapted for any purposes, such as farm use or the like, and to provide a, means whereby the gate may be opened by the weight of the object intended to pass therethrough.

A further object of the invention is to provide'a gate operable by the weight of an object and adapted to automatically close by gravity.

A further object of the invention is to provide a gate that may be arranged for automatic closing by gravity even though the panels thereof pass beyond the center oi gravity.

Another object of the invention is to provide a gate that will present a full opening and that will remain open until the object has passed completely through.

Another object of the invention is to provide a gate that may be actuated by the weight of a pedestrian assisted by his strength.

Another object of the invent-ion is to provide a gate that is simple to construct and erect and that is comparatively cheap to manufacture.

With these and other objects in view that will present themselves as the specifications proceed, reference is now had to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. l is a front elevation of my preferred "form of gate, shown in a closed position;

Fig. 2 is a similar view to Fig. 1 showing the gate in the open position;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of one half of the gate shown in the closed position; and

Fig. 4 is a plan view of one half of the gate shown in the open position.

Having reference to the drawings like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views and the numeral 1 refers to the gate as a whole, and which consists of a supporting structure 2 comprising posts 3 set into the ground or other firm foundation 4; and these posts are aligned and spaced to provide a supporting structure that will support a gate at both ends thereof, the

9 posts being secured preferably in their Serial No. $16,654.

foundation without the assistance of guy wires or other posts commonly used for the purpose. While the supporting structure is designed to stand alone braces obviously may be used without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The closure 6 is pivotally mounted in the supporting structure 2 and the closure is adapted and arranged to return to the closed position automatically by the effect of gravity as will be noted as the specification to receive a connecting link 14 which connects with a lever 15 arranged as shown to open the closure. The movable threshold 12 is thus operably attached to the closure 6 and is designed to support a weight (not shown) in excess of the weight necessary to actuate the panels.

It will be observed by referring to the drawings that a weight applied .to the threshold 12 will tend to force the threshold downward and by so doing the connecting link 14, which is pivotally attached to the lever 15 positioned for the purpose, will operate the panels in their respective directions, and for this purpose the lever 15 may preferably be formed integral with the panel as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 although it is obvious that it may be separate therefrom.

Thus when the weight is applied to the movable threshold 12, which weight may consist of an automobile or other vehicle, or even the weight of a pedestrian, that the panels 7 or 8 will be removed from the gateway in a vertical plane to the open position.

As it is necessary that the threshold normally rest in a position above the surface of the ground, runways 16 are provided which are adapted to direct the weight up the incline thereof and to said threshold, and these runways are equipped with side rails 17 attached to the inner side of the runways 1G and are projected above their surface to prevent the wheels of a vehicle from running 011' the relatively narrow track as it proceeds up the incline toward the gateway.

It has been observed that at times effort would be made to open the panels by swinging them in a horizontal plane upon imaginary hinges, and to prevent movement in this plane, which movement it forced might be detrimental to the structure as a whole, the side rails are elevated as at 18 at a point adjacent to the bottom 19 of the closure when in the closed position, and these side rails are elevated sutliciently to form a stop that will positively prevent this attempted lateral movement ot the closure.

In my preferred form the lever 15 operating the gate is placed at the lower outer corner of the panel and has an extended portion 20 directed toward a pulley 21, positioned at a convenient distance from the supporting structure 2, and a rope 22, or cable, passes around this pulley and has one of its ends secured to the extended portion while its other end is provided with a weight 23.

It will now be noted that when the weight of a vehicle is applied to the threshold 12 that the panel will be raised about its pivot 11 until it reaches its center of gravity which is approximately when a diagonal line drawn from the pivotal point to the opposite corner 24 of the panel would be positioned vertically, at which time a U shaped yoke 25 would engage the rope 22 and upon continuance of the movement to the full open position the yoke would depress the rope 22 and thus raise the weight'23, as shown in Fig. 2, wherewith to provide a counter balance designed to overcome the weight of the panel when it has passed beyond its center of gravity.

It is now evident that with the movable threshold fully depressed that the panels will be entirely removed from the gateway, leaving a full opening therein, and that as soon as the weight removed from the threshold that the counter weight 23 will raise the panel to its center of gravity and to a point beyond, when gravity will again exert its influence to completely close the gate. Stops 26 may be attached to the outer end 27 of the panels to act as bumpers against the posts of the supporting structure for obvious reasons, and a forked piece 28 may be attached to the inner top edge of one of the panels to engage the opposite anel when they are in the closed position, if desired.

In use the panels always remain in the closed position brought to that state by gravity and automatically, and upon a vehicle approaching the gate, as soon as sutlicient weight is moved upon the runways the fullest extent and with considerable rapidity enabling the vehicle to pass through the gateway with very little if any delay while the gate is opening, and the vehicle continuing on, gravity will bring the gate to the closed position without effort on the part of the driver of the vehicle.

Should a pedestrian desire to pass through the gateway he naturally approaches to a position in close proximity with the closure and as naturally he either treads upon the runways or upon the threshold, in elther of which events his weight would tend to open the closure to a degree equaling the ratio of his weight to the weight of the panels. It is then a simple and natural movement upon his part to grasp the closure and attempt to raise it out oi the way when his weight, augmented by his strength, will be sullicicnt to raise the closure thus opening it sulliciently for passage lhcretlnough.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a gate, a supporting strimture, a movable weight actuated threshold slidably mounted in said structure, a closure pivotally mounted at a lower corner in said structure, a yoke attached to the. outer end of said closure above the pivotal point, a lever attached to said closure and extended above andv operably secured to said movable threshold, to operate said closure to the open position with the downward movement of said threshold, means attached to said lever and engagcable with said yoke and disposed to automatically close said closure with a progressively decreasing impulse to a point past the center of gravity, and to utilize gravity for the completion of the closing operation and to restore said threshold for subsequent action.

2. In a gate, the combination of a sup porting structure, a movable weight actuated threshold mounted in said structure, rum ways attached to said threshold and provided with stops, a closure adapted to rest between said stops and pivotally mounted at its lower corner in said structure, a yoke attached to the outer end ot' said closure at a point distant from said pivotal point, a lever attached to and extended from said closure and operably connected with said movable threshold and adapted with said threshold to move said closure to the open position, a counterweight attached to said lever and disposed for engagement with said yoke, and to utilize the lever existing between said yoke and the pivotal point to provide with said counter-weight a progressively decreasing impulse to automatgateway will be opened to its Ill) signature.

GEORGE H. THOMAS. 

